Maricopa Chamber Members Blog

Jun 29

The Foundation for a Brighter Tomorrow

Last modified: June 29, 2009

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

Steve Durkee
Executive Director

The Foundation for a Brighter Tomorrow engages in a two pronged approach to economic and community development. At the macro level we assist public leaders in improving the efficiency (and reversing budget shortfalls) of public charities, schools, and government. On an individual level we focus on helping remove personal barriers that keep people in poverty.

On a personal note, Maricopa is our home and now hopefully more of a presence locally will help us come together and really become the community that we hoped Maricopa would become. At this point we have stepped into helping several critical projects and have been looking for additional gaps that we can help fill.

It will be a pleasure to continue to work through the Chamber to help our local economy recover and eventually thrive. We are hoping to bring more job resources, strengthen our local social support network, and create more opportunity for our local youth. To keep up with all we are doing feel free to grab my attention at the monthly Chamber breakfast.

Jun 1

Is the Real Estate Market Really Changing?

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: June 1, 2009

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

As submitted by:
Dawn Madden, Maricopa Properties

According to The Cromford Report™ while the number listings in many cities (including Maricopa) is declining each month, the number of homes sold is increasing each month. The Cromford Report™ provides detailed information to track the history and current status of the Greater Phoenix residential resale market and offers unique insight into its future direction.
Although the price per square foot on sold homes (not listed) has not started to increase as a result of the supply and demand shifts, it has started to level off. What this means to you, as a potential buyer is that now may be the perfect time to buy!

For a copy of the report or to learn more about the marketplace in your particular city, please contact us at Info@MaricopaProperties.com with the subject line of CROMFORD REPORT and the city name within your text.
Thank you!

Maricopa Properties520-568-0555
www.MaricopaProperties.com

Jun 1

City Alarm Code Information

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: June 1, 2009

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

As submitted by
Rebecca Molus, Alarm Coordinator

The Maricopa Police Department is cracking down on Alarm Permits. If your home or your business uses an alarm, be sure that it has a permit. If it does not, feel free to check out the following attatchments to do so.

Ordinance
Maricopa Alarm Permit

May 28

IRS Announces New COBRA Rules

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: May 28, 2009

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

Submitted by:
Greg O’Keefe
HR Wise

What is being provided?

• The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Act”) signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009 includes significant changes to the COBRA/Continuation (“COBRA”) coverage rules

• The Act provides a federal government subsidy of COBRA coverage premiums for a maximum of 9 months
for certain individuals who are COBRA qualified beneficiaries because of a covered employee’s involuntary termination of employment

What coverage does the subsidy apply to?

• It applies to coverage under both the federal COBRA law and any state “mini-COBRA” laws (i.e., state continuation laws applicable to employers with fewer than 20 employees.
• The subsidy does not apply to COBRA premiums for health care flexible spending accounts (Health FSAs).
• Who receives subsidy? employer or insurer?

How is the subsidy provided?

• A group health plan can only require an AEI to pay 35% of the COBRA premium that the AEI would otherwise be required to pay.
• Example: If the applicable COBRA premium is $1,020 (102% of a $1,000 monthly premium), the AEI pays 35% of $1,020. The employer will fund the difference.
• The federal government will reimburse an employer for the remaining 65% of the COBRA premium via payroll tax credits. The credit will be against the employer’s liability to deposit payroll taxes and federal income taxes withheld from employees’ compensation on Form 941, line 12.
• The credit is applied as though the employer had submitted an equivalent amount of payroll tax on the date the qualified beneficiary’s payment is received.

This is just a brief overview of the changes. For more details of the full IRS rules please review the attached document or consult your tax and payroll specialist.
IRS Publication N-09-27

Apr 29

Arizona Withholding Changes for Employees As of May 1

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: April 29, 2009

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

Submitted by:
Greg O’Keefe
HR Wise

Arizona Withholding Changes

Senate Bill 1185 amended the amounts required to be withheld for Arizona withholding purposes. Currently the amount required to be withheld is a percentage of federal withholding. For amounts withheld through April 30, 2009 the amount required to be withheld, at the employee’s election, is 10%, 19%, 23%, 25%, 31% or 37% for individuals whose annual compensation is less than $15,000. For individuals whose annual compensation is more than $15,000 the amount that is required to be withheld is 19%, 23%, 25%, 31% or 37%.

For income tax withheld on or after May 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009, the percentages will be increased as follows:
Rates for May 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009
Old New rate
10% 11.5%
19% 21.9%
23% 26.5%
25% 28.8%
31% 35.7%
37% 42.6%

For income tax withheld on or after January 1, 2010 - June 30, 2010, the percentages will be decreased as follows:
Rates for January 1, 2010 - June 30, 2010
Old New rate
11.5% 10.7%
21.9% 20.3%
26.5% 24.5%
28.8% 26.7%
35.7% 33.1%
42.6% 39.5%

For income tax withheld on or after July 1, 2010, the amount withheld will no longer be a percentage of federal withholding. The amounts withheld must be based on tables prescribed by the department.

For more information about this withholding law change, visit our website at www.azdor.gov.

Arizona Tax Amnesty Program

The Arizona Department of Revenue is offering a tax amnesty program that will run from May 1 - June 1, 2009. This an opportunity for those who live, work, or do business in Arizona and owe back taxes to the state of Arizona or underreported any taxes in past years, to correct those issues with a reduced rate of interest and no civil penalties.

For more information, visit the Tax Amnesty website at http://www.azdor.gov/taxamnesty

Feb 5

Understanding Life Insurance

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: February 5, 2009

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

Submitted by Kelly Dugan
Agent with Farm Bureau Financial Services
Kelly Dugan at 520-840-3826 or dkellydugan@aol.com

Understanding Life Insurance

Did you know over 60% of adult Americans have no life insurance coverage?1
Life insurance can be a confusing subject. Many people know they need coverage but
simply don’t understand what life insurance is and how it works. Here are some answers
to commonly asked questions.

What type of coverage should I select?

Term life insurance provides death benefit coverage for a certain period of time, typically
ranging from five years to 30 years. Term life insurance generally pays a death benefit to
your chosen beneficiary if you die during the specified term.

Permanent life insurance provides death benefit coverage that can continue as long as you
live. In addition to providing a death benefit to your beneficiary, permanent life insurance
also builds cash value over time.

Can I afford coverage?

Both Term life and Permanent life insurance policies offer fixed or adjustable premiums.
Term insurance offers the lowest initial premium and is a great solution for people with
temporary needs. However, once the term period ends, the cost to renew or replace the
policy can increase substantially.

Permanent insurance typically has higher initial premiums but may be more cost effective
if you anticipate a lifelong need. It also offers the option of accumulating cash values.

How much do I need?

Undeniably, the most important consideration when choosing life insurance is making
sure you are adequately insured. Life insurance proceeds can help your family with future
financial needs like mortgage payments, education funding and everyday expenditures
upon your death. It can also help pay immediate expenses associated with your death
such as funeral costs.

Use the Life insurance calculator on www.fbfs.com to estimate your needs. Then contact
your agent to help you personalize a policy to fit your needs.

1 Life Insurance Marketing & Research Association, 2004
Source: www.life -line.org
Tips brought to you by Kelly Dugan, Agent with Farm Bureau Financial Services.
For more information on auto, home, life, college and retirement funding products
and services, call Kelly Dugan at 520-840-3826.

Sep 11

Some Safety Tips For Women

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: September 11, 2008

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

Submitted by: Dawn Cater
MaricopaBiz.com

Because of recent abductions in daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation… This is for you, and for you to share with your wife, your children, everyone you know. After reading these 9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do : The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans, If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF!

Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor , and in the back seat

B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side.. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked ‘for help’ into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her ‘Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.’ The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, ‘We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.’ He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby’s cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby’s cries outside their doors when they’re home alone at night. Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby —- This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America ’s Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana

I was going to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well. Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better to be safe than sorry..

Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. It may save your life or love one’s life.

Jun 13

Monthly Stats for Maricopa, Dawn Madden, Maricopa Properties, Broker/Owner

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: January 5, 2009

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

Have you heard any Realtors claiming that it’s a great time to buy and wonder how anyone, let alone the so called “experts” can think that? If you look at the facts, it actually IS a great time to buy! Here are those facts - In May of 2007, there were a total of 63 homes sold with an average of 102 days on the market, with an average of $108.44 per square foot. In May of 2008, there were 159 homes sold with an average of 98 days on the market, with an average of $70.90 per square foot. All and all there are more homes selling in a shorter timeframe. Since they are selling for less per square foot that makes it a great time to buy for first time homeowners, investors and even those that simply want to take advantage of this aggressive market and purchase that larger home that they have always wanted! For more detailed information on this market, please contact your Local Realtor or Dawn Madden at Dawn@MaricopaProperties.com or 520-568-0555.

(Data retrieved from Multiple Listing Service using all homes in Maricopa, in all size ranges.)

Apr 17

It Pays to Shop Maricopa

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: April 17, 2008

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

Submitted by: Dr. James Hull

It was one of those days! Everything was going wrong. I guess it was my turn. I ran out of printer paper; the color ink cartridge went dry, and my printer went into a mega-paper jam. If that wasn’t enough, Murphy stepped in to help?

Thinking I could fix a paper-jam, then dash down to Radio Shack and get an ink-cartridge, I opened up the printer hatch and upon closer examination, saw a piece of metal in a dangling state. That wasn’t good! Since I had some fortuitous problems with it previously, I needed a replacement and now.

I quickly perused the Internet looking for an HP5600 services, and saw that I could purchase one for approximately $135 at a couple of well-known stores in Chandler. Gosh, I didn’t have time to go up there, as I was trying to meet a deadline for an article due today. What to do?

Thinking that my computer guru Steve Sanders, at Data Doctors could get me back in business, I jumped in the car and drove – obeying the speed limit on Smith-Enke – to his store to see if he might have a printer, either used or new. “Unfortunately,” he said, “I do not sell printers, and most of the time you can buy one new that’s much cheaper than trying to repair it.” He mentioned that he thought Radio Shack was selling printers now.

So, it was off to Radio Shack – winding through the obstacle course of the shopping center - where I found the answer to my prayers. Yes! Radio Shack had a brand new HP 5600 printer for $99. I was in and out of the store in 10 minutes and back home, installing the printer and it was up and running, all in less than an hour.

So, folks it pays to shop in Maricopa. I saved a lot of money, wear and tear on my car, as well as saving the environment. And the salesperson told me when he handed me my receipt: “Thanks for shopping in Maricopa!”

Mar 11

Maricopa AZ Real Estate News

Filed Under Uncategorized

Last modified: March 11, 2008

By Terri Kingery | Email Author

Submitted By Dawn Madden
Maricopa Properties

According to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales are to remain steady until late Spring and then an anticipated recovery should take place in Summer of this year. To read more, please click on the link below:

http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2008/flat_existing_home_sales.html

If you’ve been thinking of purchasing your first home or a home in the rural areas of Arizona (including the City of Maricopa), I have great news for you – the FHA has increased their loan amounts and there are two other loan programs available for you – USDA loans and Rural loans. Contact me for more information.

Ever wondered what the Arizona Office of Tourism gives to people visiting our state? Click here for a free visitors guide

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/azot/arizona-ovg08/

Or better yet, stop by the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce office and visitors center for all your information needs. If you can not get to the office then you can receive more information by contacting them at (520) 568-9573 or email tkingery@maricopachamber.com.

Brought to you by Dawn Madden, Broker/Owner, ABR, e-Pro, GRI, MRE, Member CRS of Maricopa Properties. A residential brokerage serving the County and City of Maricopa. Dawn can be reached at 866-445-0555 or Dawn@MaricopaProperties.com. Feel free to visit her website at www.DawnMadden.com .